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WESTMINSTER, Md. - The Baltimore Ravens are excited about the prospect of having Deion Sanders come out of retirement and be a part of their defensive backfield.
The question now is: Will he take them up on their offer?
The Ravens have told Sanders that if he wants to end his retirement of three years, he would be welcome to join the team. Sanders is working out at his Dallas home in an effort to determine if his 37-year-old body can take the punishment of playing in the NFL.
"He's obviously doing his due diligence to see if this is something he really wants to do," Ravens coach Brian Billick said Wednesday. "Certainly we'd love to have him in, and when we get to that point, he'll be in."
Ravens safety Corey Fuller, a good friend of Sanders and like Sanders a former FSU standout, isn't so sure that Sanders is ready to put on a helmet and shoulder pads for the first time since 2000, when he was a member of the Washington Redskins. Sanders formally announced his retirement the day before the Redskins opened camp in 2001.
"I talk to him every day," Fuller said. "I know what he's going to do. The man said he's not coming. He's got four kids. It's not because he can't play anymore. It's just that the man has a lot going on outside of football."
But the Ravens are convinced that Sanders has yet to arrive at a final decision, and they're prepared to let him take his time in deciding if he wants to join the team.
"It's far enough along that when he feels he's ready, he's in," Billick said. "Deion is a professional. He doesn't want to come in here unless he's ready to go. We'll give him that kind of space, and when he feels he's physically at the right spot, then we'd love to have him."
DOLPHINS: Idled by a stalemate in contract negotiations, Pro Bowl defensive end Adewale Ogunleye can only wonder where he'll be come September.
Still on the sideline? Back in uniform with Miami? Traded?
Nigeria?
The unsigned Ogunleye said Wednesday his preference remains to reach a deal in Miami, where he blossomed into a star during the past four seasons. His agent planned to present another proposal to the Dolphins this week.
But if Miami refuses to give Ogunleye the contract he wants, he said he'll continue to sit out and perhaps return to his roots by visiting his grandmother and other relatives in Africa.
BENGALS: Running back Skip Hicks and wide receiver Jay Chapman were cut.
Hicks played for Washington from 1998-2000 and with Tennessee in 2001. He was on Carolina's roster in 2002, and did not play in the NFL after being waived by the Panthers before last season began.
Chapman, from St. Augustine's College in North Carolina, had signed with the Bengals as a free agent on May 18.
BILLS: Punter Brian Moorman hurt his left leg in practice and did not return.
Coach Mike Mularkey did not immediately know the extent of the injury, but expected an update today.
Moorman, who also serves as the Bills' holder, was hurt while trying to run with the ball after a botched snap during a field goal drill. He appeared to trip and came up limping before being escorted to the locker room.
BRONCOS: Champ Bailey would prefer full-time duty with Denver.One day after the All-Pro cornerback turned heads by catching passes as a wide receiver, Bailey said he would like to remain on the field - all the time.
"I'd like to play every snap," Bailey said. "That's not going to happen, but I would like to do whatever I am capable of doing and whatever my body lets me do."
Coach Mike Shanahan hinted the Bailey could possibly be used on offense during the regular season.
CHIEFS: The first signs that this wouldn't be just another day at Chiefs training camp came in the afternoon with the arrival of a squad of Secret Service vehicles. Shortly afterward came the big tour buses with "Bush-Cheney '04" on the side.
Out of one hopped the man himself. Suddenly the Chiefs, in the presence of President Bush, were the star-struck tourists.
Wide-eyed players with mobile phones or digital cameras snapped pictures and lined up to shake hands with the president, who passed through River Falls on his way from one Wisconsin campaign tour stop to another.
Twenty-five minutes later, Bush was gone on the campaign road once again, carrying a couple of footballs signed by Carl Peterson, Dick Vermeil and some players.